Unrest hits Egyptian rail traffic

PASSENGER traffic on the Egyptian National Railway (ENR) network has plummeted by 87% year-on-year as a result of continuing political turmoil, according to annual figures released by the country's railway authority.

ENR carried just 2.7 million passengers in March 2014, compared with 20.7 million in March 2013.

Revenues from passenger traffic fell by 34% year-on-year, representing a loss of around $US 3.5m in turnover, according to the Egyptian government.

The Railway Authority suspended most train services last August amid security concerns following the removal from office of the country's president Mr Mohamed Morsi in July. While some services connecting Cairo to Upper Egypt resumed in November, there were more temporary suspensions of traffic in March 2014 in the Nile Delta region, as well as in Upper Egypt, caused by sabotage and the discovery of suspect packages.